Kimura nears return, will stay in California permanently

ARCADIA, Calif. – Kazushi Kimura, champion jockey in Canada from 2021-23, intends to resume riding at Santa Anita on March 21, two months after sustaining an injury in a starting gate incident.

Kimura said Sunday that he is planning a career move in coming months and does not plan to return to Woodbine, near Toronto, in advance of that track’s 2025 opening day on April 26.

Kimura recently bought a home near Santa Anita and will remain in Southern California.

“I will stay here,” Kimura said. “I have a place in California. It’s better to focus on one thing and be the leading rider in California. That’s the next stage.”

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Kimura, 25, has ridden at Santa Anita during the winter meetings beginning in 2022-23 and has had a steady presence in Southern California since last summer.

Last year for the first time, Kjmura rode the Del Mar summer meeting. Last September and October, Kimura rode extensively at both Santa Anita and Woodbine before focusing on the Del Mar autumn meeting.

Kimura finished sixth in the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting with 18 wins, ranked in a tie for ninth with six wins at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, and tied for fourth with 10 wins at the Del Mar autumn meeting.

At the current Santa Anita meeting, which began Dec. 26, Kimura has won five races. He was tied for fourth when he sustained a lower-leg injury Jan. 16. Kimura later underwent surgery to stabilize the injury, which has led to a longer-than-expected recovery.

Kimura received doctor’s clearance to resume exercising horses last week, according to his agent, Brian Beach. Kimura will be suspended for three days from Friday through Sunday this weekend after dropping an appeal of a penalty for causing interference that led to his mount being disqualified from first to third at Los Alamitos on Dec. 6.

With a permanent move to California, Kimura hopes to not only dominate the local standings but develop a stature that will lead to greater success in the United States.

Kimura, who was born in Japan, said he hopes to emulate Flavien Prat, a native of France, as a rider born outside of North America who wins the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding jockey. Prat received the honor for the first time for the 2024 season.

“My target is to be the best jockey in the world,” Kimura said. “I want to get the Eclipse like Flavien.

“Every year, I want to find a Derby horse and win the Kentucky Derby. I want to win a Breeders’ Cup race. Day by day, I’ll improve.”

Kimura has earned four Sovereign Awards as Canada’s outstanding rider – in 2018 as an apprentice, and from 2021-23 in the overall category. He was recognized with the Eclipse Award as the 2019 outstanding apprentice jockey throughout North America.

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